How do I re-format my C Drive & reinstall Windows 95?

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win95.general.discussion (More info?)

"Elaine" <Elaine@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1C87A102-CBB4-4EA7-B141-D89ED0CA6C03@microsoft.com...
> We have a system built in 1997 that we wish to dontate to
charity. How do we wipe out all of our data? I know the best
way is to reformat the C: drive and reinstall the operating
system (W95). I have many disks/floppys including: Original W95
CD, original W95 flopopy with handwriting "Not Y2K version - use
other floppy", floppy marked W95 Y2K Start up Disk 12-99. I can
boot to DOS but don't know where to go from there. I don't need
to create any partitions, just want to wipe out the hard drive
and re-install W95. Please help so we can get this antique out
of our closet! Thank you.

This will destroy all your data: emails, email addresses,
documents, etc. You have been warned (g).

I assume you have the Product ID (OEM code or Product Key or
Certificate of Authenticity) for your Windows 95

Create a boot floppy using an appropriate utility for Windows 95
from www.bootdisk.com. By default Windows 95 does not have
cd-rom drivers on boot floppys. By using this utility, you
_will_ have access to the cd-rom.

Boot with the floppy. This may require a change to your bios.
Put the Windows 95 CD in the drive.

Type (without the quotes) "format c: /q /b" (the spaces are
important) and hit enter. Answer Y and enter when it asks you to
confirm. It will ask you for a volume name, any combination of
letters and numbers will do, up to 8 characters (or it can be
left blank)

Type the following sequence and hit enter after each line. (F3
means strike the F3 function key). There is a space after the md
and the copy, but no other spaces.

c:
md \windows
F3\options
F3\cabs
cF3
copy r:\win95\*.*
setup

You can remove the cd and floppy at this time.
Follow the instructions onscreen for installing Windows 95.

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win95.general.discussion (More info?)

Just put in your product recovery cd /Turn off the PC
then restart it again.It will tell you everything you
have to do.
>-----Original Message-----
>"Elaine" <Elaine@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message
>news:1C87A102-CBB4-4EA7-B141-
D89ED0CA6C03@microsoft.com...
>> We have a system built in 1997 that we wish to dontate
to
>charity. How do we wipe out all of our data? I know
the best
>way is to reformat the C: drive and reinstall the
operating
>system (W95). I have many disks/floppys including:
Original W95
>CD, original W95 flopopy with handwriting "Not Y2K
version - use
>other floppy", floppy marked W95 Y2K Start up Disk 12-
99. I can
>boot to DOS but don't know where to go from there. I
don't need
>to create any partitions, just want to wipe out the hard
drive
>and re-install W95. Please help so we can get this
antique out
>of our closet! Thank you.
>
>This will destroy all your data: emails, email addresses,
>documents, etc. You have been warned (g).
>
>I assume you have the Product ID (OEM code or Product
Key or
>Certificate of Authenticity) for your Windows 95
>
>Create a boot floppy using an appropriate utility for
Windows 95
>from www.bootdisk.com. By default Windows 95 does not
have
>cd-rom drivers on boot floppys. By using this utility,
you
>_will_ have access to the cd-rom.
>
>Boot with the floppy. This may require a change to your
bios.
>Put the Windows 95 CD in the drive.
>
>Type (without the quotes) "format c: /q /b" (the spaces
are
>important) and hit enter. Answer Y and enter when it
asks you to
>confirm. It will ask you for a volume name, any
combination of
>letters and numbers will do, up to 8 characters (or it
can be
>left blank)
>
>Type the following sequence and hit enter after each
line. (F3
>means strike the F3 function key). There is a space
after the md
>and the copy, but no other spaces.
>
>c:
>md \windows
>F3\options
>F3\cabs
>cF3
>copy r:\win95\*.*
>setup
>
>You can remove the cd and floppy at this time.
>Follow the instructions onscreen for installing Windows
95.
>
>
>.
>